Beijing: 6 July 2021 (TDI)– The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Imran Khan addressed the virtual CPC and World Political Parties Summit taking place in Beijing on Tuesday.
Addressing his excellency, Mr. Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the Central Committee of CPC and President of the People’s Republic of China, distinguished guests, representatives of the political parties, and the excellencies, he said it is a great privilege to share his thoughts today at the ‘CPC and World Political Parties’ summit. On behalf of the government and the people of Pakistan, he conveyed heartfelt felicitations to President Xi Jinping and the Chinese people on the hundredth anniversary of the Communist Party of China. Mr. Khan said he is confident that the discourse in this summit would shed new light on the role of political parties in advancing the well-being of people.
Talking about the history of the CPC, he said the founding of the CPC in 1921 was a seminal event in world history. The vision of CPC leadership ignited the spirit of the Chinese nation and encouraged them to wage an epic struggle for liberation from foreign occupation. The leaders of the party like Mao Zedong and Jiang Zemin guided the Chinese people in claiming national dignity, self-pride, self-respect, and China’s rightful place in the world. For decades, the CPC’s spirit instilled new vigor and hope beyond the borders of China. It inspired people of the colonized nations and contributed to the end of colonialism. CPC’s astonishing success rests in the people-centric approach of its inclusive development philosophy. It remained committed to serve the people, and prioritize their wellbeing and interests.
Talking about the achievements of the party, Mr. Khan said, CPC’s achievements of all-around national development, poverty alleviation, anti-corruption campaign, and nation-building are truly remarkable. It is something that he hopes to emulate in Pakistan. CPC’s achievements have opened new vistas of thought for political parties across the world. CPC has proven that the attainment of power is primarily meant for bringing transformation in the lives of people and making them masters of their destiny. Indeed political parties can only enjoy public support and legitimacy if they continue to serve the people selflessly.
Commending the leadership, he said, President Xi’s visionary leadership has played a pivotal role in China’s transformation and continued rise. His people-centric philosophy has made a critical difference as recently China has eliminated extreme poverty which is one of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind. And at the same time, it has achieved the goal of building a modern and prosperous society, a goal that the CPC had set for itself.
He said Pakistan supports China’s effort to safeguard world peace and to contribute to global development and preserve international order. President Xi’s vision of shared prosperity, through BRI, has made a major impact on global sustainable development, thus proving his credential as a World statesman. Under Xi Jinping, China has made major success in the people’s war against the COVID-19 pandemic, and his declaration of making the COVID-19 vaccines a global public good is reflective of his compassion and fairness.
Comparing his own government with the CPC’s leadership he said that CPC’s mission of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and PTI’s mission of Naya Pakistan reflect the respective aspirations of the people of both countries. He said he formed PTI 25years ago on the principles of accountability, transparency, meritocracy, Islamic welfare and to break the vicious cycle of elite capture, corruption, and nepotism. PTI remains committed to its original mission of establishing rule of law and setting up a society that is humane and that is compassionate. He said the Ehsas program that was launched last year by the government, is one of the leading social protection programs in Asia today. In its second phase, the government envisages providing social protection to 8 Million poor citizens. The government has made universal health coverage a priority in the health sector reforms. Under the Ehsas program, the government aims to provide free-of-cost health insurance, initially to the families living below the poverty line and subsequently to all families that are in the provinces governed by PTI. The 10 Billion Trees Tsunami project reflects the commitment of the government to counter environmental degradation and reversing biodiversity loss. He said his government is ready to contribute more than its share to protect the planet and help it heal from the centuries of neglect.
He said in the wake of the emerging global and regional environment, Pakistan has re-elaborated its priorities from geopolitics to geoeconomics. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative complements Pakistan’s renewed effort of this geoeconomic shift with an emphasis on economic integration and regional connectivity. Moreover, considering his government’s Green vision which aligns perfectly with Xi Jinping’s Green China vision, turning CPEC into Green CPEC is a priority for Pakistan. Pakistan’s abiding friendship with China and the CPEC compliments the vision of peace for everyone and shared prosperity and development for the Asian region and the rest of the World. Pakistan and China are iron brothers who support each other on issues of respective core interests. In an era of complex and profound changes at the global and regional levels, the strategic partnership of China and Pakistan remains a strong anchor of peace, progress, and prosperity.
He highlighted that this year also marks the seventieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The two nations are celebrating the historic milestone in a befitting manner. He said he’s confident that the year 2021 would provide new vigor and vitality to the time-tested friendship between Pakistan and China.
He concluded his speech by saying we must join hands to advance the noble cause of peace and development, welfare of the people, and building a community of shared future for all mankind.
